April 2016

Pension Beneficiary Designations – Don’t Forget the Tax!

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In Will drafting, it is common to include beneficiary designations for life insurance, TFSAs and RRSPS/RRIFs, but sometimes pension plans are overlooked. If the client has a spouse (married or common law), the spouse will automatically receive the client’s pension survivor benefits pursuant to Ontario law. However, members of a plan generally have the ability to designate a non-spouse beneficiary to receive benefits in the event that they die with no spouse surviving. In Ontario, the ability to designate a beneficiary by Will to receive benefits from a pension plan on a member’s death is found in sections 50 and 51 of the Succession Law Reform Act…..

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Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Spouse, Tax Issues, Wills

Costly Cottage Dispute – $403,174.85 in Legal Costs Sought in Dispute Over $300,000 Cottage

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At long last, cottage season is upon us. As I gaze longingly out my window at the construction of what looks like an awesome rooftop patio in the making, I thought it would be fitting to write about a cottage dispute.[1] A really, really expensive cottage dispute. The background was as follows. The mother, Grace, made a will in 2010 leaving her condo to her daughter Barbara and her cottage….

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Capacity Law, Costs, Cottage, Estate Litigation, Family Conflict, Property, Real Estate, Testamentary Capacity, Wills

Managing the 2015 tax year liability and when to make the payment

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Other bloggers have written in this forum on matters related to the tax liability of the deceased – how the liability is determined, when the payment is due, how to minimize the liability and on. Another decision to be made by the trustee is to determine how to fund the payment once the amount has been crystallized.
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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executors, Real Estate, Tax Issues

What happens when you put a ring on it?

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Saturday’s Toronto Star featured an article on a marriage “predator”.  The article tells the sad story of an 89 year old man – Charlie – who married a 65 year old woman  – Galina – because she promised to look after him and ensure he’d never have to move to a nursing home.  They essentially struck a deal:  caretaking in exchange for a mention in the Will.  Charlie was not….

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Elder Law, Estate Planning

AUTOMATIC-ISH VESTING OF REAL PROPERTY

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Section 9 of the Ontario Estates Administration Act (“EAA”) is often referred to as the “automatic vesting” provision, since it provides for the automatic vesting of real property in certain circumstances. Specifically, subsection 9(1) provides that real property that is not “disposed of, conveyed to, divided or distributed” among the persons beneficially entitled to such real property within 3 years of the date of death automatically vests in the beneficiaries….

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Estate Planning
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